


La Perla del Mar

by XScribe



Series: Off The Map [5]
Category: Fast and the Furious Series
Genre: Aftermath of Violence, Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Alternate Universe - Gender Changes, Bi-Gender Character(s), Canon-Typical Violence, Mpreg, Other, Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder - PTSD, Sexual Abuse
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-07-30
Updated: 2015-07-30
Packaged: 2018-04-12 03:34:59
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 13,592
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/4463921
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/XScribe/pseuds/XScribe
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>An Alternate Universe spin on the Fast and Furious series.</p>
            </blockquote>





	La Perla del Mar

**Author's Note:**

> Thanks to Siberianskys and CourtneyMichelle who have given me help, inspiration, and encouragement throughout this series. Love, appreciation, and thanks to all my wonderful readers. Thanks forever to Angel Walker for inspiration!

A thin crack of daylight around the outer edges of the Roman blinds was the first thing Carter saw when he was awakened by movement of the bed and the creak of wood. At first he thought the waves were becoming increasingly choppy beneath the hull of _La Perla del Mar_ , suggesting that the weather was turning. Then he realized it was his prisoner restlessly pulling on his restraints, stressing the bedframe, still trying to free himself.

“Condenado,” Carter muttered sleepily, annoyed at having been disturbed from sleep. Just as he was drifting off, the mattress shook again. “Would you keep still?” he demanded.

“Let me up and you can sleep all you want,” O'Conner responded, sounding wide awake.

As Carter further woke, he suspected O'Conner hadn’t slept any more after he’d woken up from his last shot. Ah well. That meant he was well rested and over the effects of the drugs. Perhaps he’d realize it was pointless to continue fighting. Turning to O'Conner, Carter studied him a moment and decided he was just as attractive by morning. Some of his makeup had been worn off, although that made little difference. “In time,” Carter finally said. “How about a nice, hot bath?”

“Yeah. Undo me.”

“Presently.” Sitting up, Carter continued eyeing his prisoner. He drew the blanket down and spread the sleeveless robe open to bare that lovely chest just enough to display some cleavage. “My, you are a sight to behold, aren’t you?”

“Whatever. Just undo me so I can go to the bathroom and take a bath.”

That would take a little strategizing, Verone knew. At length, he got up and went back to the refrigerator and brought Arielle’s bottle of Ferrarelle back to the bed to give him a drink. “You must be thirsty again by now.”

“If you’d just fucking let me go, I’ll be a lot less trouble. You don’t have a clue what it’s like to be pregnant. If I don’t eat soon, I’m gonna get morning sickness.”

That was entirely possible. “You don’t want any water?” Verone held the open bottle within O'Conner’s reach.

He lifted his head and took a long drink. Evidently, he was quite thirsty, just unwilling to admit it.

“I’ll have breakfast brought up from the galley,” Carter said reassuringly. “Don’t you worry. I wouldn’t want you getting ill.”

After recapping what little water was left in the bottle by the time Brian stopped drinking, Carter headed for the bathroom there in the adjoining room, so not to wake Monica. He wondered how he was going to safely get his prisoner in cuffs again for a bath without having to drug him. If he threatened to cause too much trouble, he could just stay handcuffed as he was for a while longer. But no doubt he had to relieve himself, too.

Afterwards, Verone returned to the cabin to check on O'Conner. He was watching his host, warily, but also appeared somewhat drained. “How do you feel now?” Carter asked. Without really waiting for an answer he checked again for any bleeding, but much more for the sake of groping his captive guest’s body than anything else.

“Like I’ve got to pee,” Brian said bluntly. “Can I please get up and go to the bathroom now? It fucking hurts.”

“I mean, does it feel like you might be having contractions anymore?”

“I don’t know. It hurts. Everything’s sore in there, what do you think?”

“Yeah, well I don’t trust you, though…I’m going to have to get a guard…” Just looking at O'Conner’s bare lap was distractingly enticing. Verone inserted his fingers once more, which made Brian elicit another guttural sound of discomfort. Finding no trace of blood, Carter untied his dressing gown and lowered himself to play with less reserve. He further opened O'Conner’s robe, fully baring him and helped himself to those delightfully swollen nipples. They had already started to go erect simply by being uncovered. They went completely erect at the touch of Verone’s lips and tongue. Now that the boy was no longer drugged, his body could actually respond, no matter how obstinate his defiance.

“Stop it,” Brian said after a moment. “I told you, I’m gonna get sick on you. I’m serious.”

Lingering, Verone continued to lick and suck. Pressing his own erection into Brian’s genitals as well as a hand, he felt a stir from the stimulation, no matter what was said.

“I said stop, goddamn it!” O'Conner protested. “That hurts worse.”

Judging by the abrupt, rapid softening of O'Conner’s good-sized cock, Verone had to believe that was the case. The kid was going to be a lot of fun to play with once he relaxed and came to appreciate all that Verone had to offer. Unwillingly, he backed off and re-belted his dressing gown. The way his prisoner had started breathing was indicative of pain and possible nausea, as opposed to sexual arousal.

Before going to go fetch one of the guards in the corridor, Verone paused to fix O'Conner’s robe, and cover him sufficiently. There was no need to share the latest acquisition’s comely attributes with the employees yet, if ever.

“Just let me up,” Brian said, apparently too distressed to worry about modesty. “I’m starting to feel sick.”

Rather than put up with such an inconvenience, Carter consulted the key from around his neck to unlock the padlocks from the cuffs. As he released the prisoner, he called Monica through the door. She hadn’t responded by the time O'Conner was free.

“Monica!” Carter yelled.

As soon as he could, O'Conner bolted for the bathroom door.

“Monica, dammit!” Verone cursed. “Venga aqui!”

The bathroom door slammed shut and locked.

Damn, that cabron. He was going to continue to cause trouble. Verone went to the bathroom door and rattled it. “Unlock this damn door! Unlock it or I’ll have the guards shoot that bastard Pearce right now.” Of course, he intended to have them do so anyway, when they headed out to sea. He’d originally meant to do the same to both prisoners and dump their bodies when they left the Los Angeles harbor the night before. If O'Conner kept up the stupid games, Verone might very well proceed with his initial plan.

Abruptly, there was a distinct, loud report of gunfire on the yacht. It sounded far enough away to be on the first deck. Alarming, Carter raced to the door to the corridor and looked out. He could hear the thud of footsteps as the guards headed for the stairs. The next series of gunfire, accompanied by a few very brief shouts, sounded like Uzis.

Behind him, Verone heard the bathroom door come open and suddenly Brian was in the cabin. He snatched Verone out of the door by the collar and slammed him into the jam, taking him almost completely by surprise. If O'Conner was fazed by the gunfire going on, he didn’t show it, being far more focused on attacking his host.

From the captain’s quarters, Monica burst in. “What’s that? What’s going on?”

Not only was Verone just as perplexed as she, he was too busy trying to defend himself against O'Conner’s repeated blows to find out. His large, graceful hands were powerful; each strike was like a hammer. Whenever Verone tried to throw a punch, his aim was off, and worse, O'Conner was very well-practiced at blocking them.

“Monica!” Verone shouted, “get a damn gun or something!”

Whatever she was doing, it wasn’t fast enough. Verone was forced to do the only sure thing that would arrest his attacker; he struck O'Conner in the abdomen. The muscle there was hard and lean, but the effort made Brian stop and double over. That gave Verone the moment he needed to rush to his quarters for his gun.

He ran into the adjoining cabin and straight to the closet. Throwing it open, he grabbed his gun case. He’d not daunted O'Conner enough; Verone felt one of those bony arms wrap around his neck, catching him in a chokehold from behind.

“I told you I was gonna fucking kill you!” O'Conner yelled, tightening his grip around Verone’s throat and hitting him again and again. “You piece of shit!”

Just then the cabin door from the corridor was kicked in off its hinges.

Unable to see what was going on and struggling to breathe, Verone heard an unfamiliar deep voice cry out in surprise. “O'Conner!”

The unexpected entry came as such a shock to O'Conner that he dropped his victim. “Dom!”

Sprawled on the deck, Verone could take in the intruder. He saw his pilot, Vidal, an Uzi jammed against his bleeding head, held by a menacing-looking, hugely- muscled man.

A brief moment of utter stillness ensued. Then O'Conner suddenly came back to life. “Shoot him!” He indicated Verone. “Shoot the shit out of this goddamn son-of-a-bitch!”

“What the fuck is going--?” the intruder started to ask, but then suddenly O'Conner and Monica who had come in from the other cabin were at the closet, grappling for the gun case.

“Wait!” Verone temporized in desperation. “Wait! I didn’t have you shot, O'Conner! I gave my employees explicit orders not to hurt you!”

With one hand, O'Conner struck Monica from the closet, then turned around, seizing up the Uzi in his hold. Releasing the safety, he leveled the barrel straight down at Verone.

“I said wait!” Verone tried. “I have money. Money on board. You can have--”

Without listening, O'Conner squeezed the trigger.

~~~

Behind them, Jesse came crashing, slamming his back into the doorframe. He was still weighted with three of the Uzis Dom and he had taken off the crew, one aimed to use. Following closely, the sound of more gunfire had probably alerted him. “What’s going on? Where’s Brian?”

But, Dom was too amazed to answer. All he knew was that the sight of Brian was staggering. Not since May had Toretto seen him, some four long, chaotic months ago that felt like an agonizing lifetime. Brian was draped in a short, white, sleeveless robe, which revealed many amazing things for Dom to take in all at once. Arguably, the most jaw-dropping were a modest bust and a little belly. That once slender, flat abdomen now visibly stuck out just enough to be noticeable. Both wrists and ankles were bound with black leather and metal cuffs, Dom assessed with worry. The short length of the gown displayed  long, tanned, shapely, now smooth legs, appealing in familiarity. Brian’s hair had grown into a tousled mass of golden ringlets. Peeking beneath at his earlobes, the golden topaz studs glimmered. Despite fatigue, strain, and a spark of wild derangement in his eyes, perhaps it was that O'Conner looked even more beautiful than ever was the most amazing revelation of all.

“You okay, Brian?” Jesse asked from where he stood guard in the entry way.

On the deck, a guy in a designer robe and pajama pants lay on his back, holding a hand up in what looked like surrender. Dom could only guess that this was the perpetrator of the kidnapping, because while he watched, O'Conner began pumping bullets into the form on the deck, showing no hesitation or remorse. In those nanoseconds, Toretto instantly knew precisely how to handle the situation. He raised no qualms about following O'Conner’s lead and angled the stolen Uzi away from the head of the thug that he held and fired at the one on the deck.

The henna-rinsed feme Brian had knocked across the room came rushing forward. “Carter!” she screamed and grabbed Brian’s arm to disrupt his aim. “Damn you, O'Conner! Stop! Stop!”

Brian simply shook her off again.

“Stop it!” she shrilled.

“Fuck you!” That time Brian punched her sharply in the jaw. “That’s for what you did to me!”

Dom was instantly on guard. “What did she do?”

Without missing a beat, Brian answered. “Bitch fucking lied to her scumbag sugar daddy and got me into this shit! Plus, she shot me up with some shit!” He shoved her away from him.

“But, Brian!” the woman cried.

“Shot you up?” Toretto was horrified. He shoved away the thug he was holding and aimed at her next. He went around the body on the floor to reach Brian. When the hood he’d been holding made a quick move towards the door, Dom fired a couple of warning bullets at him. They may still need the guy for more information or leverage. “What did you shoot him up with?” Dom demanded of the feme.

“Carter made me!” she cried. “I had to or he would’ve killed me!”

“That’s a lie,” Brian said in his quiet, modulated manner. “I didn’t see Verone forcing you to do any of the shit you did.”

“What,” Toretto demanded, losing patience with her, “did you shoot O'Conner up with?”

She pointed to a metal attaché case on a dresser.

Dom promptly dropped her with a few bullets to her head. He looked to the thug he’d been holding. “Cómo te llamas?” he asked.

After seeing what happened to his boss and the boss’s woman, he answered straight away. “Vidal Garza.”

“Up against the wall,” Brian instructed Garza in Spanish. “Spread your legs and put your hands on the wall, over your head.”

“Muy bueno,” Dom remarked, impressed. Now that he could, he reached O'Conner and took his hip with his left hand so he could continue to hold the gun in position. He was surprised when Brian flinched, but then held still allowing Dom to touch.

From the doorway, Jesse checked back and saw them, and nodded at Dom, gesturing at him to proceed.

Feeling that tight, firm, little belly made Dom shut his eyes briefly in divine pleasure. His baby. And Brian. The mother of his baby. He crushed his mouth and nose in the curls at the nape of Brian’s long neck and took him in. “Brian,” he murmured. He didn’t know what Brian’s feelings had been in turn, but there would be time now. Time to talk it out and rectify things. Whatever Brian’s feelings, there was no way Toretto was going to ever leave him again.

Suddenly, O'Conner looked up. “Rome!” he yelled and lit from Dom’s hold. Rushing to Garza, Brian seized him by the hair. Frowning, eyes blazing like cobalt neon, Brian was absolutely stunning. “Donde está Rome?”

“Across the hall,” Vidal stammered in Spanish, “to starboard. Last cabin.”

“Show me!” O'Conner pushed Garza to the doorway, holding him in front like a shield.

“O'Conner!” Dom fled after them. “What, are you crazy? You’re not going out there!”

Jesse was quick to report, “There’s one hiding at the edge of the stairs, down the corridor.”

Clearly, Brian was going to lean out, but before he could do anything further, Dom caught his left elbow. “Me oyes? That’s my baby! You’re not going out there.” He pulled Brian back just as gunfire whizzed past the opening.

Beside him, Jesse danced back, too. “Fuck!”

Without another word, Dom poked the muzzle out into the corridor and started to fire. Knowing that would buy them a window of opportunity, he grabbed Garza from Brian again and steered him out the door first. “This your friend who got kidnapped with you?” Toretto asked Brian.

“Yeah,” he answered, “but I’m going with you.”

“No, you’re not. Not 'til we’re ready to leave and we’ve cut a path for you.” Dom paused to look up and down his baby’s mom. “And you put some clothes on. You’re practically naked. I’ll go get your friend. Find out what that shit was that bitch shot you up with, too, to make sure you’re all right.”

“Dom!” Brian protested. “I’ve been takin’ care of my own! I’m fine!”

Briefly, Dom touched those pretty cupid’s bow lips to halt Brian’s protest. Then looked to Jesse. “Cover him and don’t let anybody else near that cabin door.”

“Absolutely,” Jesse was quick to respond.

Once again, Toretto guided his prisoner ahead of him in case they ran into more gunfire. “You take me there.” Cautiously, Dom fielded sentry up and down the corridor at all times while Garza led the way. Behind them, Jesse kept cover as asked, shooting toward the stairwell again. On the way, they heard someone kicking the door inside another cabin.

“Let me out!” They heard a familiar raspy, bold feme voice from inside. “Goddamn it!”

Dom couldn’t help but recognize her voice. For the time being, he ignored her. At the door Garza indicated, Dom released him. “No tiene llave?”

“No,” Garza said.

“How ‘bout you bust open the door or I’ll use your head?” Dom continued in Spanish.

After a couple of strong attempts on Garza’s part, the door was weakened. Dom kicked it in easily after that and entered, still holding onto his prisoner to keep him from running off.

On sight of Brian’s friend, Dom couldn’t help but to look him over. Mia had described him as “hot,” and that he’d acted very jealous in regard to Dom. She’d failed to embellish the details by adding that the dude had an exotic slant to his eyes and high cheekbones that might be considered attractive or that he was well-built and muscular. Startled, the dude jumped back against the bulkhead when the door burst open. “You Rome?” Dom asked.

“Yeah.” The dude sounded resentful as he likewise glanced over Toretto. “Who you? And whe’ Brian?”

No shit the guy was going to be a problem, Dom deduced. O'Conner was his first priority, too. “You know how to handle a gun?”

“I was fou’-an’-a-half when my daddy firs’ taught me how ta’ use a gun.”

That was no doubt an exaggeration, Dom was sure, but it told him what he needed to know. He swept one of the Uzis from around his neck, careful to leave his Mossberg where it was still slung over his shoulder and handed it to Rome. “You know how many crew are onboard? My friend, Jesse, and I took out at least eight so far. Plus that rich asshole bastard and his bitch who kidnapped you and O'Conner.”

That seemed to impress Rome. “You took ‘em out?” He took the proffered Uzi and checked the chamber. He knew how to handle a gun all right.

“All I had to know is that they kidnapped O'Conner.”

The look on Rome’s face changed completely. There was a sudden wariness. “Who you be?”

“You met my sister, Mia,” Dom said smugly.

“Shit. You Toretto,” Rome realized. “You come outta hidin’ on accounna Bry?”

“Damn right I did.” Dom went to the doorway and kicked the broken wood open again. “I’ll cover, then we’re going to a cabin a couple a doors down and get someone else. Then we’re going back to the captain’s quarters and get Brian and Jesse.”

“Who else we gettin’?” Rome didn’t seem agreeable to the plan.

Making no effort to explain, Dom poked the Uzi into the corridor and fired. Then he proceeded forward, Garza out in front again. With a signal to Jesse, they made it back to Letty’s door. There, Dom did the same thing with Garza and had him kick open the door that time.

Like Rome, Letty leapt back in the cabin with the crash. She was dressed in dark canvas and a pullover, her long, wavy tied back. “Dom!” she cried, completely taken aback. “Oh, my god! I thought I must have been going crazy when I heard your voice!”

There was no time for idle talk. “Anything you need, grab it, ‘cos we’re getting off this tub.”

“I don’t have anything in here,” she said, throwing her arms around his neck for a hug.

“Here.” Dom started to lift one of the other confiscated Uzis from around his neck.

Rome intervened instantly. “Don’t give huh’ no gun! She one of the ones what kidnapped us. Held a gun on O'Conna’ and pistol-whipped him.”

While Letty cut Rome a sharp look, which he exchanged with a dirty one, Toretto considered what to do with her. “What’d you do to Brian?”

“Hey, he was being a chingason,”she complained. “I had to do some--”

“She lyin’!” Rome interjected. “Brian a trained police offica’. He know how ta handle gangstas like huh’. She had a gun on him the whole time. She pistol-whipped him ‘cos she liked it. Don’t think I didn’ see what you did,” he told her warningly.

They heard shots fired out in corridor again and a thud out by the stairs.

Knowing Jesse had scored another hit reduced Dom’s tension by a point, but by no means was he ready to relax. He shoved Garza toward Rome so he could take over guarding him, then grabbed Letty’s upper arm. “What the fuck are you doing here, Letty? What are you doing? Working for this asshole?”

“I work for whoever I want!” She snapped, trying to yank her arm away. “The pay is a hell of a lot better than anything I’d make working at Pep Boys. I’m only on loan-out to this guy, anyway. The dude I work for appreciates my skills. What’s it to you, anyway? You sure didn’t give a damn about whatever I did after you met your pinche white boy.”

As Dom studied her, that sentiment became even more so. Especially in light of what Rome had reported. “Who do you work for, then?”

“Nobody you’d know. Somebody a lot more important than your pinche white boy, that’s for sure.”

With that, Dom clipped her jaw with the butt of the Uzi. “See how you like getting pistol-whipped, puta.”

~~~

The sensations that coursed through Brian when he saw Toretto for the first time in months were almost overwhelming. He suddenly knew why expectant patients fainted because he almost did. His first instinct was to run straight to Dom and wrap himself around him so tight as to never let go. Then he wanted to recount to him how much he’d been missed and how Brian fell asleep many nights agonizing from want to see him again, but feared in the most hopeless, helpless way that he never would. Yet, when Toretto took Brian and held him, it was upsetting. Somehow, he was certain Dom would know that Brian had been violated. That he was dirty and filthy from Verone and Monica’s invasive maltreatment.

So the moment Dom had gone from the room, Brian threw the Uzi on its strap to his back, then dove down to drag the bodies off the deck. He didn’t want to see them anymore. He’d barely reached the closet pulling Verone, when Jesse cried out. “What’re you doing, man?” He raced in and took the job over, trying to shoo Brian away. “You’re having a baby! Don’t hurt yourself!”

Though Brian felt perfectly capable, he was glad for the help only to get the job done faster. “Let’s just get them the fuck in the closet,” he mumbled. Though he felt dizzy and a little sick, he scrambled alongside Jesse to shove Verone and then Fuentes into the closet. As he paused to search the built-in shelves for his clothes, the sight of the blood streaked over the carpet, across the deck, threatened to make him vomit. He struggled to hold it down.

“Get that attaché case on the dresser,” he told Jesse. “The drugs they gave me are in there. We can get the names off the labels.”

Though Jesse obeyed, he had to ask, “What are you looking for, man?”

“My clothes,” Brian supplied.

“There’s all kinds of clothes in there,” Jesse observed. “Just grab something and put it on. Looks like expensive designer shit to me.”

“No,” Brian declined with revulsion. “I’m not wearing this creep’s stuff.” He was relieved to find his things, and bundled them into his hold. “I'm gonna go take a shower then get dressed. Watch the door for Dom and make sure he gets Rome or I’ll go out after him, myself.”

“Shower?” Jesse echoed, hauling the shut case over. “You don’t got time to shower! Let’s just get the fuck--!”

“No! I’ve got to! I’m not putting my clothes back on 'til I do. Just please.” Brian held an arresting hand up. “Let me do it. Go watch the corridor.”

Back in the adjacent cabin, he rushed the bathroom in there. He gave no explanation to Jesse, despite his complete bewilderment. There was no way Brian was going to admit that the thought of using the same shower that Verone had used to wash himself--or even Fuentes--was far too disturbing. Instead, Brian piled his things on the vanity, then turned the water on in the shower, full force, and fumbled at the toilet to finish relieving himself.

There was a supply of soap, shampoo, and washcloths, but no stiff scrub brushes like he would have killed for at the moment. One cleansing wasn’t enough so he thoroughly washed himself again with the handheld showerhead wherever he knew they’d repeatedly groped and taken advantage of him. And he rinsed out his mouth from the nausea he was experiencing. It was only the sound of more gunfire that stirred him from his consternation. Still mostly wet from the shower, he struggled to rapidly redress in his maternity jeans and surplice viscose blouse.

Out in the cabin again, he was struggling to step into his sneakers when he heard Toretto, Rystrom, and Pearce all out in the captain’s quarters making perfunctory introductions. “Rome!” Brian fled to the open door and looked in. He was dismayed to see Ortiz was present, too, looking more miffed and surly than usual. But Brian was so relieved at the sight of his friend, he forgot about her for the moment in his desire to run to him.

Instead of doing so, O'Conner froze. He couldn’t. Just as much, he wanted desperately to run to Dom, but found he was too afraid to move to either of them. Despite the shower, he was afraid they’d still be able to perceive what Verone had done.

“What all this about?” Rome was asking, holding the Uzi around his neck to the side, indicating the blood on the carpet. “And whe’ Verone at? Dude said he plugged ‘em.”

Brian’s mouth moved, but he couldn’t answer. He remembered doing it, but didn’t want to think about what had precipitated his actions.

“You mean,” Jesse tried, since he didn’t know all the players, “the dude and the lady we stuffed in the closet?”

“Wasn’t no lady,” Brian managed. “She was a low-life drug lord’s whore.”

Toretto took up the narrative, seeming a little proud. “O'Conner here was the one who really did the honors. I just helped out.” He gave a slight, one-sided shrug. Looking at him, even the little gesture of admiration with a slight raise of the corner of his mouth made Brian want him. Made him wonder how he could have stood to live the last four and some months without him. As magnificent as Toretto was, that one intimation demonstrated a decided respect for Brian.

Impressed, Pearce came to Brian and tried to embrace him. But, he couldn’t help stepping back involuntarily, uncomfortable about being touched. Confused, Rome fingered his curls. “Why yo’ haih’ all wet?”

Once again, Jesse answered. “He insisted on taking a shower, man.”

“Why,” Brian wanted to know, unwilling to discuss that subject any longer, “did you bring her?” he raised his chin at Letty.

Appearing troubled, Toretto came forward, past Pearce, and drew Brian close to him, instead. Gently, he touched Brian’s lower lip lightly, scrutinizing his face, making him flinch. “Is that what she did to you?”

“Y-yeah,” he admitted.

Just as Letty started to protest, Rome cut in. “I saw you do it, so shut the fuck up. Don’ fuck wit’ O'Conna’, man. You heard what he done to yo’ boss. Bitch-slap the little punk-ass, Bry, befo’ I do.”

Much as Brian wanted, he couldn’t bring himself to. He’d learned too much self-restraint over the course of his life. “Let’s just get the fuck outta here,” he mumbled.

Dom turned on her. “Hija de puta! And you didn’t see that he’s having a baby? My baby!”

“She kept threatenin’ him,” Rome went on. “Threatin’ to shoot him in the stomach.”

That was enough to make Dom lose it. He seized Letty by the throat and slammed her into the bulkhead. After some choice swearing in Spanish and English, he rounded it up by ramming the muzzle into her belly. “How would you like it if I shot you in the stomach, huh?”

Her eyes remained locked with his.

While that was going on, Brian suddenly remembered his SIG Sauer. He went to the built-in bedside table and rummaged through the drawer. It lay in there. “Ask her where’s my purse and Rome’s wallet? We want our I.D.s, we’re gonna need what money we had on us, and I need my pills.”

“Pills?” Toretto glanced back at Brian, even more anxious. “Okay, bitch! Where are they?”

In response, she just raised her chin and glared at him, saying nothing.

Unable to hold back any longer, Dom slammed his hand into the bulkhead beside her head. “Brian! Come over here and make the bitch talk. I’ve got no more patience and it might not be seemly for me to beat the holy shit out of her.”

Without thinking too hard, Brian fled to them. He punched her straight in the mouth, not holding back. “Where the fuck are my pills?” he demanded.

~~~

In mid-September , it was still summer in southern California. The red 1970 Chevelle with its black racing pinstripes stood dutifully in the morning sun in the marina parking lot where Dom and Jesse had left it, now surrounded by cars. Had it not been for the layer of Baja dust following the long haul it had made north, the chrome and wax job would have gleamed proudly in the brilliant sun. This was the vehicle that Dom led Brian up to from the pier, while Jesse turned in the rented launch. After they’d tied Letty and Garza up in the bridge of the yacht, Brian had fallen fairly silent on the trip aboard the launch back to land. He appeared troubled and upset, but that was understandable. When Dom tried to get more answers from him, he’d only nod or shake his head. At least Letty, mouth bleeding, though she deserved much worse, had helped find the belongings of both kidnap victims. The purse Brian had referred to was actually a neat little suede messenger bag that seemed to suit him perfectly. As for the pills, it was Rome who was more forthcoming. According to him, they were for nausea. It was discomfiting to Dom to know that suddenly Brian required medication for any reason.

The first concern was to get out of sight as quickly as possible. Waiting for Jesse to return, Dom proffered Brian a seat in the car. He got in without complaint--just a little caution. The sun was already starting to bake the interior, so Toretto opened both doors and rolled down windows. “You wanna get in back, Rome?” he offered.

“Actually,” Rome said, “it’s Roman Pearce. I go by Roman. Whe’ we goin’?”

“That’s a good question,” Dom admitted. “I’ve gotta get back across the border ASAP, you know?”

“Nah,” Brian suddenly spoke up. “We should go to Los Feliz first.”

Ducking down to address his guest beneath the roof of the car, Dom eyed Brian. “You know I need to get out of here. What’s in Los Feliz?”

It was Rome who answered. “Oua’ stuff. That whe’ we stayin’.”

“You were staying?” Dom looked over at Rome who was leaning on the hood of the car. “You were living together?”

“Tha’s right,” Roman affirmed.

From the passenger seat inside the car, Brian spoke up again. “It’s safe there. We can go there and decide what to do next.”

In fact, Dom liked that idea. That meant Brian was considering a plan of action that included his baby’s father, rather than telling him to drop them off, then proceed back to wherever he came from. Not that Dom would have conceded. There was no way he’d leave his baby or his baby’s mama again. “I think that’s a reasonable start.” Dom reached for his sunglasses from the dashboard. “If you’re positive it’s safe for a short while. I can’t stick around here, you know.”

“Nobody knows we’re living there,” Brian assured him. “Only the couple we’re house-sitting for and they’re in Europe.”

Seeing Jesse heading along the pier back towards the parking area, Dom got out of the car again and pushed the seat forward for Pearce. “Come on, there’s Jesse,” he said. Then he ducked down to look in again as Roman got in. “Except we need to call Mia over to meet us in Los Feliz. She ought a have a look at you.”

“What?” Brian seemed completely taken off-guard.

Once behind the wheel, Dom turned over the engine, then pulled out of the parking space so Rystrom wouldn’t have so long to walk and they could leave as soon as possible.

“What’s Mia need to see me for?” Brian asked, confused.

From the back seat, Roman concurred. “Yeah, what she need to see him about?”

“She’s a doctor,” Dom explained. “Well, in med school. I want her to check Brian and the baby out.”

“She a docto’?” Roman sounded disbelieving. “She don’ look like no docto’ I eva’ saw. She too young and pretty.”

“I don’t need no doctor,” Brian said, beginning to sound resistant. “I think I’m okay.”

“All right,” Dom allowed, not all that willing for Mia to give O'Conner a physical exam, anyway, especially the kind he’d require. “Then you’ve got to go see your regular OB. But I want to make sure you and that baby are okay before we do any more planning.”

“He don’ got none,” Pearce supplied.

Having reached Jesse, Dom stopped the Chevelle. Rather than disturb Brian from his seat, Dom started to open his own door, but it was too late; O'Conner was already getting out of the car without a word. He moved to get in the back, but Jesse stopped him.

“Hey, you’re pregnant,” Jesse pointed out. “You don’t have to climb in back for me. No way. You stay and sit up there with your baby’s dad.”

Though Dom didn’t have time to say anything, he highly approved of Jesse’s reference.

“Jes--” Brian started to protest, but Jesse ignored him and got in the rear with Pearce. When he got back in the Chevelle, he dropped his jacket on his lap and quietly huffed. “Look, you guys can drop all this coddling. I’ll arrange to go see my doctor if there’s time, but--”

“You ain’ got one,” Roman reiterated. “’Cept the docto’ back in Texas.”

“You know damn well where my doctor is,” Brian said heatedly. “I’ll go there if I have to see any doctor at all, but Toretto’s gotta come with me.”

Transmission in neutral, Dom hit the brake again. He was pleasantly overwhelmed by Brian’s words. “What are we talking about doing? I mean, I want to go with you. Where is this doctor? You know I can’t hang around here long. So, what are you saying?”

Seeming at a loss, Brian turned to Dom. “I’m going with you. Wherever you’re going. I’ll see the doctor before we leave.”

“Baja,” Jesse supplied. “He was in Baja. But, man, Dom, you can’t go back there. Not without Brian.”

“Then,” Brian furthered, “I guess I’m going to Baja.”

“Baja!” Pearce protested. “You crazy, Brian! You ain’ goin’ to Baja. You got yo’ docto’ an’ two jobs waitin’ fo’ you right he’. An’ I know how you is about Doc Adams. Ain’ no way you gonna put up wit’ no otha’ docto’--‘specially one in Mexico.”

Thoughtfully, Toretto released the brake and drove out of the marina. Already, he’d had a hell of a day and it was still before noon. He hadn’t slept all night and had a bloody morning. “Just tell me how to get to where you’re staying in Los Feliz when we get there.”

“I don’t know how the hell to get theh’,” Pearce replied. “I don’ know much about LA. Me an’ Bry raised in Barstow, not he’.”

“What?” Dom glanced to Brian, surprised again. “Barstow? I thought you were from Arizona.”

“That was a cover,” Brian said. “Just a cover.”

Rome leaned forward between the bucket seats, obviously not wearing his seatbelt. “We born and raised he’ in Califo’nia. Went to grade school togetha’.”

Shit, Dom thought. They had a long history together. No wonder Pearce was so touchy about O'Conner. That was a hell of a lot to compete with.

The house in Los Feliz turned out to be less than a couple of miles from his house, Dom discovered. Once more, O'Conner fell silent on the trip, except for the instructions on which streets to turn on beyond Echo Park. It was too much of a coincidence, wasn’t it, that he was living so close by? The proximity stated a lot, unless it was purely coincidence.

It was a nice house, too. A lot nicer than the house Dom’s parents had been able to afford. With the Chevelle pulled onto the driveway, he unloaded his duffel from the trunk and followed O'Conner into the house through the front door. Once in, he wanted to pin Brian to the wall and kiss the hell out of him in the foyer, but had a feeling Pearce would trip.

“Mind if I grab a shower?” Dom asked Brian.

“Um, no,” Brian said. “Upstairs. I’ll show you.”

“Nice place,” Jesse commented, heading through the wide foyer towards the back of the house. “How many bedrooms it got? How long we stayin’, Dom? I mean, bein’ as Brian says it’s safe an’ all…” He reappeared at the side of the stairs while Brian and Dom started up them.

“I don’t know yet,” Dom admitted. “Depends on O'Conner.”

As he’d done on entering the car, Brian seemed a little slow in ascending. Like he was testing each step, almost. That wasn’t like Brian. He generally had such a casual swagger. A swagger that seemed more exaggerated now, but perhaps his slow ascent had something to do with that.

Upstairs, out of sight of the others, as Brian directed the way to a guest bathroom, Dom finally caught him against the doorframe. “Look at you.” Dom’s gaze traversed the changes in Brian’s body. “You’re beautiful. And look at my baby…” Dom couldn’t keep from touching that little protruding belly beneath the shiny, silver blouse with a loose blouson waistband tucked over it. “Look what you’ve done…”

“You did that,” Brian said.

With that, Dom crushed him close and put his lips to Brian’s. God, he felt even better than Dom remembered. And here he’d been convinced that he’d never be able to touch Brian again. His response was so warm, sweet, and giving. His hunger for the kiss was apparent. As he started to melt into it, he suddenly backed just enough to keep their mouths from touching. “Go shower,” Brian whispered. “Go shower, ‘cos I want to, too.”

“Then come with me,” Dom smiled, enrapt by the idea. He couldn’t wait to have Brian again. To see him, to feel him, to hold him and make desperate love to him as if for the first time.

“N-no!” A sudden panic flickered briefly in the big, blue eyes, and Brian shot back. “You go shower. I gotta-I gotta get back downstairs. Rome wouldn’t understand too great. And if you want me to see my doctor, I’m gonna have to call and arrange it first.”

“What do you mean he wouldn’t understand?” Dom bristled. “You don’t really got something going on with him, do you?”

“We’ll talk about it later. You go shower. Lemme go call Dr. Adams.”

“Will you have to make an appointment?” Whereas Dom had wanted to imagine that he would just breeze in and sweep O'Conner off to certain safety, the situation was proving to be a lot more complicated. “‘Cos that could be a problem. You know I don’t have much time and I’m not leaving without you, not for nothing, and not to wait a month for a doctor appointment. I say we call Mia.”

“No, no. If I call Dr. Adams right now, I’m sure I’ll be able to see him before we leave. He’s cool that way. I’ve known him forever. He’s my mom’s doctor as well, and sort of her boyfriend,  I guess you could say. So, he’s always done special favors for us.”

“I could say?” Dom felt mystified in the realization that he knew absolutely nothing about Brian’s parents. “I didn’t even know your parents were divorced.”

“If you knew my mom, you’d understand.”

“I’d like to get to know her.” It would be a great place to start. “And your dad.”

“Just go shower. We’ll have plenty of time to talk about all these things later. The sooner I call Gareth--Dr. Adams--the sooner he can make time to see me, all right?”

Before Brian could slip away, Dom caught his upper arms. “Are you sure you want to come with me?” He searched Brian’s face with sincerity.

“I’d rather die than stay here without you again,” Brian said abruptly. He wrapped his arms around Dom and hugged him tightly. “I missed you.” His voice cracked. “I want to go with you more than anything.”

That prompted Dom to hold him closer. “Don’t worry, baby. I’m not going anywhere without you…”

~~~

Leaving Toretto to shower, Brian made his way to the guest room he shared with Rome to gather some clean clothes to change into. He was deliberating over pants or one of his dresses, which he knew would feel infinitely better on his tender, abused genitals and crotch, when Rome entered the room.

“A’ight, Bry,” Rome said dourly, “i’ss like I thought, ain’ it? You been into dis guy all along. It was neva’ about me. You was jus’ usin’ me.” He came to the closet as well. “I’m gettin’ my sha’ a the money and goin’. I should a done this a long time ago.”

It was becoming more than Brian could take at once. What bothered him even worse was that he’d conditioned himself for years to be able to get through all kind of crises. And he’d managed. It had be really hard at times, but he’d made it through. As he looked at Pearce, he thought that if Rome and even his mom hadn’t stayed beside him and helped him through it as long as they had, Brian wouldn’t have survived it. He would have wound up like his mom or committed suicide. “That’s not true, man. I wasn’t using you. What I told you already was the truth. We’re tight. I’ve loved you since we were kids. That never stopped.”

“Then what chyou talkin’ goin’ off to Baja or whe’eva’ wit’ dude?”

“Everything you and your family have done for me all my life, growin’ up…I don’t think I could have got through it without you...”

“A’ight, so marry me. Tell me you do that, then I don’ caeh whe’ we go. We don’ gotta stay he’ an open a garage. We could go anywhe’ an’ do that. Cheapa’ down in Mexico, anyway. Tell Toretto we go hook up wit’ him lateh’ if you want, afta’ we married.”

“Right now, I-I gotta make an appointment with Dr. Adams. Then I want to go shower.” Brian lay one of his dresses from the closet on the bed.

“You just took a shower on the boat.” Rome looked annoyed and disbelieving. “You just lookin’ fo’ an excuse not ta’ answa’.”

“No, I gotta hurry up and make the appointment to see the doctor. The longer I wait, the longer it’ll take.”

“But, you don’t gotta showa’ again.”

“Look, Rome…” Brian sat carefully on the bed. “I’m a little worried. It felt like I might have started having contractions again last night on the boat. It feels better than it did last night, but I’m still worried. I think maybe the doctor--”

“What?” That changed Rome’s demeanor completely. He went to Brian and took his shoulders. “Why didn’t you say so, man? Fuck.” Picking up the cordless phone they’d brought into the guest room from the master bedroom, Rome raised it to dial. “I call Mom and have huh’ git Doc Adams in the E-Ah’ when we get there. Lus’ pack us a couple a things fo’ oveh’ night to go stay in Barstow. Shit! We don’ got no cah’, but I bet Toretto let us borrow his. This an emergency.”

“We don’t need to borrow it. I want him to come along.”

“I could take you mah’ se’f. He don’t know Barstow. He don’t know about Doc Adam. He don’t know what all you been th’oo.”

“He doesn’t need to know all that stuff, he just needs to take me. He should be there. And anyway, I might not be having contractions. I just want to make sure, you know? Make sure the baby’s okay. But you tell Vernetta, it’s gonna freak her out.”

“Eva’ thing about this gonna freak her out, what chyou think? Most of all, why you havin’ somebody else’s baby.” Rome regarded Brian. “That freak me out, too.”

Before Rome’s call was answered, Brian gently took the phone away and pressed “stop.” “Let’s figure this thing out first.” He had no desire to bring Vernetta into it if it wasn’t necessary. Then again, as soon as Dr. Adams found out, she probably would too, soon after. “I’ll call Gareth--Dr. Adams--myself. I don’t think we need to race over there that fast. I’ve been having this sensation since last night and it hasn’t gotten worse or anything. It’s not regular and it’s not happening more frequently. It hurt worse when it first started, but it seems to have calmed down since then.”

“What sensation? Like you had in Texas?” Rome tried to snatch the phone back. “I’m callin’ Mom.”

“No, wait!” Brian held onto the phone. “Just let me call Gareth. He can take care of it, himself, just as quickly. We don’t need to call your mom.”

“Why? ‘Cos you don’t want to upset huh’? You know how upset she gonna be when she find out you knocked up by somebody else. Jus’ hurry an’ call ‘im, then. It take a couple a houa’s ta’ get theh’. I pack fo’ both a us.” Rome went back to the closet.

That was the main reason why Brian didn’t want to call her. He felt closer to her than to his own mother. He dialed the doctor’s number then got up to help pack. After he gave his name to the receptionist, he was briefly put on hold.

“Brian!” Gareth sounded as surprised as expected. “Where are you? I heard about you on the news! Are you all right? Where are you?”

“I-I’m okay now.” Brian really hadn’t prepared himself to explain all of it. He just needed the doctor to deal with the most important issue, and that was the baby. But, of course, he was going to want to know a lot more, as close as he was to the family. “It’s been taken care of, you know? But, I do need to come see you.”

“What do you mean ‘need’? Why? Is something wrong? What happened? Just tell me what happened.”

“I told you,” Brian was already beginning to feel fatigue and regret in having made the call. “I’m okay. I just need an appointment. Can you get me in like today?”

“Is this about the kidnapping?” the doctor persisted.

“No, not really. I’m gonna have a baby, all right? And I need you to--”

“You’re pregnant?” Poor Gareth was getting an overdose of shock. “Since when? What? Who? When did all this happen? You mean you’re pregnant and you were kidnapped? What the hell is going on, Brian? This is crazy.”

Brian considered. “Look, can I come in today or not? I suppose I can wait 'til tomorrow, but I’d rather not. I can tell you about it when I get there.”

“You’d better come in today. Right now, in fact. You’re here in town, aren’t you? At your mom’s?”

“No, I’m in LA.”

“What are you doing all the way out there if you’re pregnant? Listen, you just get your ass over here right now. You know you don’t even have to ask. You’re always welcome to come and see me day or night. Even more so now that you’re…I just can’t believe it. How come no one told me? Why didn’t Kitty tell me? I don’t understand.”

Tucking the phone at his ear, Brian took his cell to charge up while they prepared to leave. They could finish charging their phones in the car, providing Rome hadn’t lost his adaptor, because the other was in the pickup and the police would have impounded it for evidence. “Kitty doesn’t know.”

“She doesn’t know…” Dr. Adams mumbled, not that surprised by that information. “She should know. And I didn’t even know you had a steady boyfriend. It’s no wonder you’re pregnant; you haven’t been in to see me for regular checkups or contraception or anything.”

Had Brian had time to think it out, he could have guessed Gareth would react this way, just like it was no surprise to him that Kitty didn’t know. He was the closest person Brian had to a father. In his way. It wasn’t a typical family doctor relationship, but it was what Brian had grown accustomed to. “Look, I’ll explain things when I get there. I’ve been so busy I’ve hardly had time to even take a piss, you know? It’s not that I’m avoiding you. ”

“You know, your mother should know. It’s only fair to her.”

“Well, we can talk about that when I get there, too.” Brian went back to helping Rome pack so his clothes would be folded, rather than crammed into his duffel bag and he could take what he chose.

Rome eyed Brian. “He askin’ you to tell yo’ mom?”

Brian nodded.

Rome concurred. “I don’t think tha’s such a great idea, neitha’. You tell huh’, she gonna trip all ta’ hell. She go off like the Fourth a July. An’ fuck wit’ chyo’ head. Afta’ what we been through last night, tha’s the las’ thing you need.”

“About how long,” the doctor asked, “do you think it’ll be before you leave LA? So I can estimate how much time I have for my other patients before you’ll get here.”

“We’ll probably be leaving here in the next hour or two,” Brian said. “Something like that.”

“And Brian,” the doctor continued, “do you have any idea of approximately how far along you are?”

“Sixteen-seventeen weeks.”

“That far? And you haven’t established yourself a regular OB in LA? That doesn’t sound like you. How do you know you’re that far? Is that just a guess?”

“No. I saw a doctor out in the middle of Texas. They did an ultrasound and told me how far along I was then. I’ve been counting the weeks since then or I wouldn’t have the faintest idea.”

“This is just crazy. What were you doing in Texas? I thought you were living in LA all this time.”

“Long story, Doc. We’ll talk about it when I get there. Right now I need you to make sure the baby is okay, ‘cos I think I might have been havin’ contractions last night.”

There was a moment’s pause. “Contractions? I’ve changed my mind; I don’t think you should wait to drive out here. Get off the phone with me right now and go to the nearest ER.”

“I don’t want to see anyone else. I don’t need to go to an ER. It feels better than it did last night. I want to see you. You’re my doctor. You’ve always been my OB/Gyn. What’s wrong with that?” Brian’s stress was building again. “What’s wrong with a little patient/doctor loyalty?”

“I’m flattered,” Gareth laughed apprehensively. “But I’m worried about you, Brian. I’m telling you this because I want you and your baby to be safe. This isn’t a question of loyalty. You know what contractions feel like; you’ve been through them before and that’s why I’m worried. I want you to go to the nearest emergency room and have them check you.”

“Fuck the nearest emergency room! I want to see you! And whatever it was, I think it’s settled down a lot. I just want to be sure that everything’s okay, and it’s gonna stay that way for the rest of the pregnancy.”

Rome spoke up again. “Tell him about what happened in Texas. How you in anotha’ car wreck and then you started hurtin’ next day.”

With concern, Dr. Adams asked, “Have you had any vaginal bleeding? Any at all? Even the slightest amount?”

“No,” Brian struggled to keep from hyperventilating. At least he was sure of that. “I just want to come out and see you this afternoon. I’ll call you and let you know where I’m at on the way.”

“Promise me,” the doctor said cautiously, “that if you start to feel what you think are contractions again or if you develop any bleeding, you’ll stop at the nearest hospital along the way, wherever you are. Just promise me that and if anything untoward happens, you’ll call me and let me know. Agreed? I’ll drive out to wherever you are and meet you at whatever ER you’re at. I am your doctor, after all.”

“Yeah. Okay.”

“If you make it out here to Barstow, I’ll need to do blood and urine tests. Wherever you stop, they’re going to need to do them.”

Once off the phone, Brian packed a few more things, then went to take another long, hot shower in an ongoing effort to feel clean. The result was limited at best, but some twenty-five or so minutes later, he finally wrapped up in a bath sheet and hurried back to the guest room.

To his relief, Rome was no longer present, which fortunately gave Brian some privacy in which to dress. He’d found bruising all over his tits and male genitals while in the shower. Suppressing a howl, he’d silently cursed when he discovered how sensitive his pussy was to soap, water pressure, and touch. If Dr. Adams were to even think about introducing a speculum, Brian wouldn’t be able to restrain himself from knocking the guy across the room. It was a disconcerting finding at the very least. No wonder he was so uncomfortable. He didn’t like the explanation he was going to have to give when the doctor did the exam, but there was no getting around that. It gave Brian a lot of pause in going through with the trip to Barstow, but risking the baby’s well-being was a lot more unthinkable.

He eased into one of the pairs of herm panties Rome had allowed him to buy on the last clothing trip. Of course they were sexier than Brian wanted to wear at the moment, but that was the only style Rome would let him buy without a major, undesirable argument in the store. Over that, Brian slipped into a new dress of thin crinkle rayon and spandex fabric with a large tropical print in aquamarine on a black background. The gathered shoulders were sewn to a crossover bust line for the bodice, culminating in long ties to be comfortably adjusted in back. Undone, the ties dangled past the knee-length hem of the full skirt. The shirred rear panel in back ensured the bodice would continue to fit comfortably as his bust grew. Tugging the fabric up for as much coverage as he could in front, he made sure no bruises were showing. He knew that Rome had chosen the dress for its suggestive neckline, but he had no way of knowing that Brian would come to want more coverage. Up to his throat, more preferably.

From the dresser, he took out a warm, long-sleeved, flannel shirt to layer over the dress later on. It might not be becoming, but it would keep him warm enough in the desert evening near-autumn air when they left Barstow. The denim jacket might have worked better, but Brian couldn’t stand the thought of wearing it again before it had been laundered, like all the clothes he’d worn aboard the yacht. He’d perched his foot up on the bench at the end of the bed to slip on a black espadrille wedge sandal when Rome returned. He, too, had put on clean clothes, but was still sleeveless.

“You lookin’ good enough ta’ eat,” he remarked with enthusiasm. It was the first time Brian had worn the new dress. “I got oua’ bags down in the foyer.”

“Could you do the ties in back?” Brian asked.

While doing as asked, Rome ruffled up the full skirt and drove his hips against Brian’s playfully. Seeing that Brian was trying to get his sandals on, Rome quickly took over helping him fix the strap of his espadrille. Then crouched down to help with the other one. “I do that fo’ you.”

Whether Rome was attempting to cajole Brian in anticipation of his decision about the proposal or because of the pregnancy, it was a pleasant gesture. Considering the tender concern that Rome had treated Brian with after learning  of the first pregnancy, perhaps there was no reason to wonder. “You didn’t talk to Dom or Jesse about going to Barstow yet, did you?”

“They yo’ friends. I didn’t see Toretto and the otha’ dude in the livin’ room watchin’ the large screen TV. I figured you ought a explain all that to ‘em.”

There was a slight knock on the partially open door and Brian heard that deep, familiar voice that sent shivers through him. “Explain all what?” He looked up and saw Dom had entered the room. He was in khaki pants and a sleeveless muscle T, appearing freshly shaven and so handsome it hurt. Those big, expressive eyes and full, soft mouth almost made Brian’s knees buckle. “Nice dress,” Dom beamed, gazing roving over Brian as he neared. “You look…absolutely amazing…”

“Thanks,” Brian managed, blushing. He was about to return the compliment, when he realized what a mistake that would be in front of Rome. “Um, I made the appointment with my doctor. He says he can see me this late afternoon. Will you take me?”

“Of course.” Dom started to take Brian in his arms.

Instantly, Brian had to resist. “Lemme put on my makeup so we can get going.” Drawing out of reach, he went to the dresser to pick up his zippered makeup case to supplement what he had in the bathroom.

“Makeup?” Dom was mystified. “You wear makeup now? How come you never wore it before?”

“Constraints of the job,” Brian phrased as delicately as possible. “You know what, Rome? I think we ought a take the Escalade. We’re supposed to keep it running and the battery charged, you know. And they told us that we could use it in the event of an emergency. We haven’t touched it at all since we got here, so I think we should take it. You know where the keys are?”

“No I don’t.”  Rome sounded mildly annoyed that he’d not been told that they had permission to use the vehicle.

“Here,” Brian offered, “I’ll show you.” Then went on to Dom so he’d know he was invited to accompany them. “You don’t mind driving me to Barstow, do you?”

“Barstow?” Dom’s surprise hadn’t had the chance to abate yet. “All the way to Barstow? What’s your doctor doing in Barstow?”

Leading the way to the master bedroom, Brian continued. “He’s always been in Barstow.”

“I mean,” Dom said, “aren’t you seeing a doctor here in LA? Isn’t that where we’re going right now?”

Just then Brian recalled that Dom knew nothing about the short term medical history of his baby. “We haven’t been living here long in LA. Only a couple of weeks or so.” In the master bedroom, he went to the armoire and opened it to rifle through the top interior drawer.

“You mean,” Dom asked, “you’ve been living in Barstow? I guess that would be a good place to hide out from the authorities. Who would ever think to look there?”

“No,” Brian laughed, although Dom’s remark made sense. “We’ve kind a been on the road a while, not living anywhere. Hence, my doctor is in Barstow. He was my doctor back when I lived out there--”

“We,” Rome corrected. “When we lived out there. Which wasn’t all that long ago.”

Extracting the keys from the drawer, Brian brought them to Rome. “Go put our stuff in the car. You ought a leave the Chevelle for Jesse, you know? So he has a ride to go back to your house, or wherever. We’ll be back tomorrow at the latest.”

“The less I stay at my house,” Dom pointed out, “the better. Like Mia says, the cops could show up at my place any time. They were surveilling before while I was gone and they’ll probably put another crew on the job right away, if they haven’t already. Good idea, O'Conner. I’ll bring my bag out to the car, too.”

While Rome went downstairs, Brian passed into the guest bathroom to apply his makeup in the mirror. But didn’t mind getting stopped for a kiss from just inside the doorway.

This time Brian didn’t interrupt the kiss until the pressure on his battered lower lip got to be too much. Then he pulled away only slightly and reinitiated the kiss to the side, sparing the tender area.

“The whole time I was gone,” Dom murmured, “I felt lost, like a little kid. I missed you so bad, Brian...I didn’t know I could hurt like that…”

Brian pressed tighter against Dom.

Getting a hand between them, Dom felt Brian’s belly again. “I can't believe you did this for me…”

“When you came crashing into the cabin,” Brian allowed, “I was like, wow…I couldn’t believe it was you. That you’d come looking for me.”

“It was weird…” Dom exchanged another kiss. “I heard about you on the news…That you’d been abducted…And I just lost it…I just got up and came straight home, looking for you. I didn’t think about whether it was safe or stupid for me to do, I just knew I had to find you…” Slowly, unwillingly, he released Brian in front of the mirror and turned the vanity lights on for him. “Here. You put your makeup on. I can’t wait to see how you look.”

As Brian did so as quickly and efficiently as he could, he was amused at how closely Dom watched and hissed and winced over the bruises. Like Rome, Dom let it be known that he didn’t like seeing Brian’s face bruised and battered. The only drawback was that he interfered at times, leaning in to kiss Brian in both stirred excitement and concern. Dom commented on how amazed he was that Brian was wearing the topaz earrings, not hesitating to nuzzle and mouth at his ears, damp curls, jaw, neck, and shoulders. He even traversed down the neckline, which made Brian nervous, fearing he may catch any glimpse of bruising.

“I missed you so much,” Dom admitted, running his sensuous lips over Brian’s skin. Distracted, Brian kept pausing to wrap his arms around Dom’s neck and kiss him in response and to keep him from looking too far down his dress. Were it not for the fact that Brian was so daunted by the violation he’d just suffered, the trip would have been forsaken for the other guest bedroom or a room with an expansive sofa. The thought of bedding with Toretto yet was too upsetting.

Even after the final touches of lipstick and makeup had been applied, Dom wouldn’t leave it in place; he couldn’t refrain from more kissing. Much as he needed to be warned about Rome’s temper and the fact that he was still awaiting the answer to a marriage proposal for the second time of late, anyway, Brian couldn’t bring himself to mention any of it. Dom would find out about it soon enough.

Before leaving, Brian switched purses to a black leather one with gold hardware, more appropriate for his outfit. In it, he packed his makeup and other necessities, importantly including extra money to pay the doctor and for a hotel stay in Barstow, as well as his pills as a precaution. Then they made their way downstairs to leave Jesse the keys to the Chevelle.

Down in the open garage, another debate arose; Rome already had the keys and knew Barstow. However, when Dom prompted Brian in the back of the Escalade with him, that immediately raised Rome’s defenses. “He ain' ridin’ in back wit’ chyou all,” he spat. “He sit up front and ride shotgun wit’ me.”

“He should be comfortable,” Dom said patiently. “He can lie down all the way there in the very backseat if he needs.”

“Whyn’t you drive,” Rome offered instead, “an’ Brian lie down in back wit’ me?”

“I’d just as soon do my own driving,” Dom continued. “Then O'Conner can sit up front with me and lean his seat back--”

“What?” Rome flustered. “You think I can' drive?”

“The way you’re trying to get out of it, I wonder.”

Brian finally interjected, “Oh, Roman knows how to drive all right. Look, if you two are gonna fight over who’s a better driver, I’ll just do it.” He reached for the keys.

“No, baby,” they both negated at once.

Rome was quick to object. “You jus’ call him ‘baby’? He my baby long before he eva’ met you!”

“Oh, yeah?” Dom contended. “Well, I’m the one whose baby he’s having.”

The dispute was treading too dangerously. Brian had to stop it. He snatched the keys from Rome and started to get into the driver’s seat.

But, Rome halted him. “No, baby, you get too tired. You betta’ not drive. You know how you kep’ fallin’ asleep on the ride from Miami.”

“Then you two sit up front,” Brian decided. “I’m gonna go sit in all the way in back and have the whole seat to myself, all right? I don’t need you two fighting. I want to make it to Barstow, you know?”

Following a brief, thoughtful pause, Dom skirted the Escalade to the front passenger side door. “I didn’t get no sleep last night, so you’d better drive, Pearce.”

“Well, I don’ know my way aroun’ he’ to get to Barstow,” Rome admitted. “So you betta’ sit up behind me, Brian, and tell me what freeways I need to hook up wit’ an’ all. I got he’ via Miami an’ some back-assward route, I don’ even know. You ought a stay awake, Toretto, an’ look see if they’s a map in the glove compartment.”

With a sigh, Brian climbed in behind Rome, gathering his skirt out of the way so not to get caught in the door when he shut it. “I’ll get you on the right freeway. Once we hit the 15 north, it’s just straight on through to Barstow.”

~~~

Trusting his homey’s knowledge of the road implicitly, Rome heard out the instructions Brian gave him as well as he could while behind the wheel of an unfamiliar vehicle, diverting his attention to traffic getting on the freeway as well as anyone could be expected to. It was a luxurious ride in a Cadillac, too, and plenty comfortable with the air conditioner running. With the stereo on at a moderate level, and the traffic to keep him company, it took a while for Rome to notice that his driving companions had fallen silent. He looked into the rearview mirror and didn’t see Brian. A glance at the shotgun seat showed that Toretto had fallen asleep so hard his boner was sticking up in his pants. Damn!

It pissed Rome off. Certainly the bulk of his dick and knowing he’d been porking O'Conner with that, as well as the fact that Toretto had gone and fallen asleep when Rome had already expressed that he didn’t know shit about the freeways in Los Angeles.

“Hey, whe’ the fuck my supposed ta’ catch the nex’ freeway!” Rome shouted at Toretto. “Wake the fuck up! Didn’ O'Conner say som'm about the 605 past El Monte?”

Acting completely unalarmed, Toretto sort of woke himself up, readjusting his shades. “What? Where are we?”

“Leavin’ El Monte,” Rome reiterated with annoyance. “’Bout to pass the 605. If that was the one we supposed ta’ catch. Brian!”

Checking the backseat and stretching, Toretto chided Rome. “He’s asleep. Let him be. Yeah, get over to the right to pick up the 605 north to Duarte and Azusa.”

“You knowed that?” Rome countered. “Then why ain' chyou drivin’?”

“Course I know that. Brian said to get to the I-15 north via the 210. It’s obvious. And anyway, you’re doing a great job driving.” Toretto took another look into the back then released his seatbelt.

In the next moment, while Rome worked his way to make the interchange, he realized Dom was climbing into the backseat between the two front seats in the roomy Escalade. “Whe’ you goin’?”

“Gonna see that O'Conner’s okay.”

“You see good enough from up he’.” Rome looked back. “You said he asleep.” Shit. And that meant O'Conner had a big-ass sleep boner, too.  Rome could only pray that Brian was wearing some decent underwear and it wasn’t poking up under his skirt, apparent as all hell. Goddamn. “You don’t need to go back theh’,” Rome maintained.

Ignoring Rome, Toretto proceeded in back. He took the seat behind where he’d been sitting, leaned across to O'Conner’s chair, and murmured softly. It sounded like Brian got startled awake, ‘cos he gasped. In an effort to hear their conversation, Rome promptly shut the stereo off, but he couldn’t make out what was said.

Damn.

Once more, he glanced back when it was safe, as he was all the way over for the lane change. He saw Toretto leaning way farther over Brian than he needed to. “How long 'til I get to the next freeway? Brian? You up? I’m gettin’ on the 605 right now. What’s the nex’ freeway? Come sit up he’ an’ gimme directions; Toretto fell asleep on me.”

“What?” Toretto sounded amused. “I gave you directions. Just stay on the 605 'til you get to the 210. Then go east. That’s all.”

It didn’t matter that Rome remembered those directions, he just wanted O'Conner away from Toretto. “Get up he’, O'Conna’.”

“He’s right,” Brian finally answered, sounding sleepy. “The 605 to the 210. That’ll take you to the I-15. You can't go any other way. When you hit the I-15, just head north to Barstow.”

“Yeah?” Rome argued. “Well, I’d feel betta’ if you was up he’.” Then muttered, adding, “So that ‘roided-out I-talian don’ mess wit’ chyou…”

~~~

Judging by Brian’s rapid breathing and the way he jumped when he was awakened, it seemed something was wrong. It was enough to worry Dom. By leaving the left armrest up on his chair in back, he was able to reach Brian. “You okay, baby?” he queried softly.

That was when Brian had started awake. He blinked a few times, then pushed himself upright in his seat. “I guess I’m kind of tired…”

After they’d had the discussion with Pearce, which couldn’t have left any room for question, Dom gestured at the very backseat. “Why don’t you go lie down back there like you said?”

“I don’t know…” O'Conner mumbled.

“Come on. I’ll go sit in back with you. You can lean on me.”

It took Brian a moment, then he finally nodded and allowed Dom to go first. He followed immediately after. The bench seat in back made it possible for Dom to ease Brian against his chest to cuddle on him.

“Rome’s gonna get mad,” Brian whispered.

“You sure he’s a good driver?” Dom teased.

“Actually, he’s very good. I’d easily trust him with my life. Course, I don't know if you should…”

Dom laughed quietly. “I’m not worried about it. He wouldn’t do anything to endanger you.” He tucked Brian’s head down and stroked his curls. “You just go back to sleep if you want.”

Drawing up closer, Brian raised his head and kissed Dom’s lower lip. “Actually, I’d rather do this…”

“Your friend won't be too happy,” Dom chuckled, gladly kissing back.

“He’s a big boy.”

~~~

The next thing Dom realized was that he’d fallen asleep again. Only because he was awakened by Brian’s restless sleep against him. It was worse than restless--it was fitful. Once again, Brian was breathing rapidly and gasping. Concerned, Dom took his shoulder to shake him awake, but Brian fought. Evidently, he was having a nightmare and it was a pretty harsh one from the looks of it.

Having been roused, Brian bolted upright, off of Dom. He looked around himself sleepily, trying to get his bearings.

“God, you okay?” Dom asked. “You were having a hell of a nightmare.”

“Where are we?”

Dom looked out the tinted windows nearby. “I don't know, I just woke up, myself. You said Roman’s a good driver. I’m sure we’re okay.”

“Rome!” Brian called. “Rome, where are we?”

Still sounding bitter, Pearce replied, “Come sit up he’ wit’ me an’ I tell you.”

“I’m not fucking around.” Brian studied out the windows, too. “We haven’t reached the I-15 yet, have we?”

“Come on, Bry,” Pearce went on. “Come sit up he’ an’ drive. Switch off like we used to do when we was kids, rememba’?”

Pushing himself up, Brian regarded the driver’s seat. “If that would get us there any faster, I would. Only I’m too sleepy and too fat to do that right now.”

“Come sit up he’ anyway,” Pearce said, laughing. “We see how fat you ain’. You still fit yo’ skinny little behind into my lap.”

“Hey,” Dom rebuked unhappily. He drew Brian’s hips close and rested a hand on his little belly on the thin, summer fabric of his dress. “That’s my baby you’re talking about and I don’t want you doing anything dangerous. And I sure as hell don’t want you sitting on his lap. You can sit on mine, instead.”

“You just said you didn’t want me doing anything dangerous.”

“Yeah, but I’m not driving.” Dom picked Brian up enough to park him on his lap. “Oh, yeah.” He could feel the cleft of his ass right on top of his semi-aroused sleep erection, promptly stirring it up again. “I like that…”

“Dom,” Brian hissed quietly and tried to climb off. “We shouldn’t piss off the driver. That’s dangerous, too.”

As far as Dom was concerned, Pearce was too far away to matter. “Just take your panties off and I’ll get your skirt.” He started to gather the full folds up. “His eyes should be on the road, anyway.”

“Hey,” Brian laughed. “No way. I’m not gonna do that.” He forced his way off Dom to the seat beside him.

“We got tinted windows, we’re in the back seat, you’ve got on a full skirt…” The sash tied in the back of the dress had to be a start. Dom tugged on it and the dress loosened. “Baby, you have no idea how it’s been without you…How many times I dreamed about being with you again...”

“Yeah, I do.” Realizing his dress was suddenly giving, Brian caught it against his chest. “I’ve been missing the hell out of you, too. Now, would you please tie my dress again?”

“But, Brian…” Leaning after him, Dom breathed against the base of Brian’s neck, “I’ve been so fucked up about you I haven’t been with anyone else since we were together…”

That made Brian pause. He turned in his seat to Dom, an arm holding the cups in place. “Really?”

Dom nodded.

“But-but we can’t,” Brian caught himself. “Not right here in this truck. Not out here on the freeway. Not with Rome right here.”

“What did you and him do when you were swapping the driver’s seat with him, hah?” Dom prodded. “Did you have sex?”

Again, Brian hesitated. He drew slightly further away, turned his back to Dom again, then struggled to grab a sash end. “Look, I’m going to see the doctor. He’s got to examine me, you know? He knows my mom and he’s known me since I was little. He’s gonna know I just had sex.”

“So? He’ll just know this wasn’t no one-night stand and you’re still very much loved.” With one of the gathered straps of the dress falling, Dom kissed Brian’s bare shoulder.

“Even if that wasn’t embarrassing as hell,” Brian railed quietly, “I’m not getting up on the table and having him put a speculum up me after that. It would be way too uncomfortable. You got no idea!”

Taking that as a compliment, Dom relented. “Okay, baby.” He sighed, taking both sash ends and while Brian adjusted the cups in front, tied them. Much as it pained Dom. “I can wait 'til later. Just lie down against me and take it easy.”

~~~

Battling another disturbing nightmare, Brian forced himself awake. Uncomfortable from the baby fussing where he was being crushed between his parents, Brian found he was lying on Dom again, who was breathing deeply, rhythmically, also asleep. Unwilling to be lulled back to the same or a similarly upsetting dream, Brian got up, a move that awoke Dom. Apologetically, he kissed Dom lovingly.

“I’ve gotta get up,” Brian said.

“Why?” Dom asked, his voice husky from sleep and relaxation.

It was enough to make Brian linger. “The baby’s kicking the crap out of me and I’ve got to take a piss.” He didn’t want to mention that he’d been having another nightmare.

“Can I feel?” Sliding Brian toward his side, but still atop him, Dom placed his hand over his baby. “I can't feel. Is he still moving?”

“You can’t feel that?” From Brian’s perspective, there was still plenty of activity going on inside.

“No.” The strength in Dom’s fingertips made Brian’s bladder feel ready to give. “I can’t feel a thing. Just your rock-hard muscle.”

“Man! Not so hard. I’m gonna pee all over both of us.”

“Pearce!” Dom called, “Hey, Pearce! Pull over somewhere. Brian needs a pit stop.”

“No, wait,” Brian said, sitting up. On checking their location, he saw that the setting outside looked like home. “Where we at, Rome?”

Though Rome hadn’t turned the stereo back on, it took him a moment to answer. “We almost to Hesperia. Come sit up he’, Bry. I find a place to pull oveh’ real quick.”

Hesperia. That meant they were still around half an hour away from the doctor’s office. “Don’t pull over.” Brian tried to settle into a comfortable position against Dom to wait it out, instead. “I won’t have nothing to give him to test, so I just gotta hold it 'til we get there.”

Sitting up a little straighter, Dom welcomed Brian to lean against him and put an arm protectively around him. “Is that okay for the baby? Maybe that’s why he’s kicking so much.”

Actually, that was a damn good possibility; Brian was surprised that Dom had summed up the situation so readily. He took Dom’s hand and placed it where the baby was kicking the hardest. “Right there. Do you feel that?”

After a few moments of prodding, Dom finally admitted, “No. I can’t feel a thing. I’m not hurting you, am I?” He ceased his pushing, but rested his touch on Brian.

“Not so much hurting as nearly making me piss the seat,” Brian replied.

From up front, Rome checked them in the rearview mirror. “Quit torturin’ my boy and let him come up he’. Come on, baby.”

“You wanna go up there?” Dom asked, sounding as though he was mildly teasing.

“Rome’s my friend, too,” Brian was forced to point out. But in looking to Dom, he knew there was only one thing he wanted at the moment if it wasn’t to pull off the road to relieve himself, and that was to kiss Dom. He gave in and kissed him.

“Brian!” Rome yelled from the front seat. “Get chyo’ ass up he’!”

That attitude of Rome’s had always kept Brian at a distance. Toretto was like the polar opposite, the way he was lovingly, tenderly, responsively kissing Brian.

“I’m gettin’ off the freeway nex’ chance if you don’ knock that shit off,” Rome complained. “Toretto can take oveh’ drivin’.”

“Just keep driving,” Brian said. “You’re doing a great job and I don’t wanna waste no time switching drivers. We need to get to the doctor’s, you know? The sooner the better.” When Dom pulled Brian closer, he couldn’t help but slip his arms around his neck. This was what Brian had been craving.

~~~

**Author's Note:**

> I’d like to hear from you. Please visit my writing blog at: http://exlibrisxscribe.tumblr.com/


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